I think about how "strongmen" leaders have worked for other parts of the world.

Venezuela voted in a strong leader. Now the country's collapsing into economic chaos: looting, shortages of food, riots. That's what an autocrat can do.

Venezuela was once the most prosperous country in South America. Then Venezuelans elected Hugo Chavez. He promised to throw out the establishment and make Venezuela ... well, better, if not "great."

American celebrities loved Chavez.

Oliver Stone made a movie praising him and then invited the tyrant to join him at the film's premiere. After Chavez's death, Stone released an even more absurd documentary called "My Friend Hugo."

Stone's other friend, actor Sean Penn, called Chavez a "fascinating guy" who does "incredible things." Model Naomi Campbell called Chavez an "angel." A hack at Salon wrote about Chavez's "economic miracle."

I naively assumed that the collapse of the Soviet Union would make it obvious to everyone that socialism kills both prosperity and freedom. If that didn't, then the poverty in Cuba, Cambodia, Tanzania, Somalia, North Korea, etc. would convince them.

But no! People still think socialism will make a country more "fair" or "equal" by punishing the rich.

British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn praised Venezuela's strongman, saying he was "conquering poverty by emphatically rejecting the neoliberal policies of the world's financial institutions."

By "neoliberal," Corbyn didn't mean left-wing. He meant support for global trade. Donald Trump wants to rein that in, too.

In Venezuela, Chavez cut off foreign trade. When shortages occurred, his successor blamed an "economic war" waged by capitalists.

Trump often blames China — although economists estimate 12 million U.S. jobs depend upon our trade with China. He mocks NAFTA, our trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, but economists call that a job creator, too.

What Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders don't realize is that commerce is not zero-sum — trade with China does not mean China wins and we lose. In most cases, we both win.

Wealth is created when governments get out of the way and let people trade as they please, within borders or across borders.

I don't want a "strong leader." I want a president of this constitutional republic to preside over limited government and leave us free to lead our own lives.

Award-winning news correspondent John Stossel is currently with Fox Business Network and Fox News. Before making the change to Fox News, Stossel was the co-anchor of ABC News's "20/20." Eight to 10 million people watched his program weekly. Often, he ended "20/20" with a TV column called "Give Me a Break," which challenged conventional wisdom.